Valsecchi admits days with Lotus are most likely over

8 January, 2014

Davide Valsecchi

Reigning GP2 Champion Davide Valsecchi has admitted that he is likely to vacate his role as Lotus’ reserve driver ahead of the 2014 Formula 1 season.

Having failed to secure a race seat, Italian Valsecchi, 26, served as Lotus’ official reserve driver last year. He admitted to being “angry” when, at the tail end of the season, Lotus overlooked him as the replacement for surgery-bound regular Kimi Raikkonen.

“Perhaps I lack experience but what chance do you have to gain any?” he said at the time.

We reported early this week that Lotus looks set to replace the departing Valsecchi with the Eric Boullier-managed, 23-year-old Danish driver Marco Sorensen for 2014.

Valsecchi told Italy’s Autosprint: “I have a meeting with Lotus planned for the short term.

“But after a 2013 season in which I travelled a lot but did not get on the track, I want to go back to wearing overalls and a helmet,” he insisted.

“I have had several contacts in different categories, but at the moment I have decided nothing definite.

“I realise it is not easy to find something without a big budget, but we are working in this direction,” added Valsecchi. (GMM)